Behold the 2014 Honda Fit

Funky, but awesome.

The third-generation Honda Fit was an outright champion. The little five-door ran about on our roads for nearly six years with little change and still managed to remain competitive in the face of fresh hardware like the Chevrolet Sonic and Ford Fiesta. Now Honda has unveiled the fourth-generation 2014 Fit in Japan.

If you thought the previous model looked funky, strap yourself in for a new stroll into Weirdsville. Honda calls the design language, and I'm not joking here, "EXCITING H DESIGN!!!" Expect to see it show up on other models in the near future, exclamation points and all.

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The big news here is the 2014 Fit Hybrid, which boasts an Atkinson-cycle 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, high-output electric motor and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. As with before, the motor gets stuffed between the engine and transmission, but the addition of a lithium-ion battery pack helps shove fuel economy up to 36.4 km/l. That shakes out to around 85.6 mpg, though it's worth noting that the figure isn't derived using the US fuel economy cycle. Still, Honda says the new Fit Hybrid is more efficient than any other hybrid on sale in Japan right now, Prius included.

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Don't fancy a hybrid? Buyers who opt for 13G trim can look forward to a 1.3-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine married to a CVT good for 26 km/l, or around 61 mpg. What will we see in North America? Good money is on the driveline found in the 15X and RS trims. That's a direct-injection 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and either a CVT or a six-speed manual transmission. Honda says there's around 10 percent more power on hand from the four-cylinder, which means you can expect to command around 130 horsepower. There's no word on fuel economy from that combination, though.